As I rode slowly along the path, I observed a lone cat crawling around on the side of the path watch me closely as I paused to try and communicate with it.

I stepped off of my bicycle and looked at this creature, speaking ever so softly and gently to it. It slowed to a halt, turned to face me and began to "meow’’, all the while keeping a safe distance between us.

I tried all I could to honor the space it had put between us from his territorial disposition and fear of an unknown species much bigger than it possibly doing it harm.

I understood it’s fearful discretion. In my small backpack, I discovered a small can of unopened Vienna sausages. I slowly opened and attempted to feed the unknown little animal.

The cat encircled the sausage from a distance, but never came close enough to eat. Though I would have never imagined hurting this small cat, it never gave me the chance to come close or to offer my hand in friendship or with food in it.

I thought of how I could have provided for this little creation of God, how I could have possibly offered it a warm place of refuge from the cold winds that blew, and food and shelter in a loving home.

None of this mattered to this tiny living thing. I would have loved just to hold it and put it down and give it something good to nourish it’s small stomach before disappearing back into the shadows of the day. But it never came close.

I often wonder does God see us as this small cat. Do we run away from God or try to stay at "safe distances" from Him, when many a time He stands near to us with an outstretched hand desiring that we only would come a little closer to His presence so He could hold us, then put us down safely and give us a place of rest.

How may times do our big brown, blue, black hazel, green eyes stare directly into the ubiquitous face of God only to turn the other way and run quickly from His embrace when at times all He wanted was to hold us?

What ever we find to distract us from coming closer to a loving father, we must inevitably conclude that only a saving faith and a strong determination have room in our lives to dwell, when there is one of whom "The spirit and the bride say Come," Revelations 22:17.